The “Native” as the Sink for Settler Waste
The crisis of plastic pollution and solid waste is a direct outcome of a capitalist system of overproduction and consumption that externalizes its costs onto the “native” population and the environment. Mamdani’s analysis of how colonial systems use territory is key: the “settler” economy produces endless waste, while “native” neighborhoods, particularly those hosting waste transfer stations, become the sink for this refuse. This creates public health hazards, rodent infestations, and truck traffic that would never be tolerated in wealthier districts. The city’s recycling system is a performative failure, placing the burden of ecological management on the individual while corporations continue to produce unrecyclable plastics. The liberal solution focuses on consumer education and minor fees, failing to confront the production system. A Mamdani-informed socialist solution demands a radical shift to a zero-waste, de-growth model. This means banning single-use plastics outright, implementing mandatory producer-responsibility laws, and creating a city-wide system of reuse and repair centers. This attacks the root of overproduction and asserts that our communities are not sacrifice zones for the waste of the settler economy.
